Our team
Tanya Mares Kelly-Bowry, Partner & Lobbyist
Tanya has a presence at the Capitol few people possess. With three decades of experience in politics she is renowned for her relationships, institutional knowledge, and expertise. Her career began as a staffer in the Colorado State Senate, where she went on to lobby at the Colorado General Assembly for over twenty years, while simultaneously advocating in Washington, D.C for 10 years. During this time Tanya led her team and clients through some of the best and worst political climates in Colorado history. She has lobbied under Republican and Democratic administrations and is a welcome thought partner on both sides of the aisle. Her dynamic and strategic approach to policy making often makes her a sought out thought partner for legislators, staff, and other lobbyist.
Tanya earned her bachelor’s degree in international Affairs and Political Science at the University of Colorado Boulder, has a master’s degree in Nonprofit Management from Regis University as a Colorado Trust Fellow, and studied at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government as a member of the senior executives in state and local government. She is currently serving as a Regional Council Member on the El Pomar Foundation. She lives in Westminster with her husband Chris and two daughters, Skylar and Jayden. .
Heather Retzko, Partner & Lobbyist
With extensive experience at the Colorado State Capitol, Heather is revered as an accomplished lobbyist, consultant, and public policy influencer. She comes to Policy Matters with 15 years of experience at the University of Colorado’s, Office of Government Relations, where she was quickly identified as a leader, mover, and shaker. Over the years she has been a key player in diverse public policy areas including higher education, healthcare, financial services, local government, the state budget and much more. Her statewide relationships with various branches and levels of government allows her to provide full spectrum strategy to our clients. As a solution-oriented strategist she brings invaluable experience and expertise to the table.
Heather earned her bachelor’s degree in Political Science at the University of Colorado Boulder and earned her master’s degree of Public Administration from the University of Colorado Denver. She serves on the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women Board of Directors. Heather lives in Denver with her husband Jay, son Ryker and Daughter Mila, with her other son, Ryker at Montana State University!